Rack



Jan. Il, 1966 J. D, KRUMMELL 3,228,533

RACK

Filed June 22. 1961 United States Patent O 3,228,533 RACK John D. Krummell, 916 Stonehill Lane, Los Angeles 49, Calif. Filed June 22, 1961, Ser. No. 118,965 Claims. (Cl. 211-177) This invention relates to storage facilities, and more particularly to an inexpensive storage device of a rielatively stable construction which may be easlly and quickly assembled and disassembled.

Although the scope of application of device of the present invention is by no means limited to pallet racks, the invention has lbeen found especially useful in this connection for the purpose of storing industrial equipment.

Although pallet racks for industrial equipment need not be unsightly, the most important requirements generally imposed upon them do not relate to their ornamental appearance. These requirements are that they should be structurally strong although inexpensive, and that it should be possible to assemble and disassemble them with comparative ease .and speed.

In the past, it has been the practice to construct 1ndustrial pallet racks with, for example, three or more pairs of steel posts with braces between each pair. Normally, at least two horizontal beams are then hung from a post in each pair to a post in another pair. All of the posts are provided with a plurality of vertically space d pairs of slots along their lengths, the slots in each pair also being spaced horizontally from each other. Each beam is provided with a plate at one end having two holes therein to receive two rivet-shaped pins, respectively. One head of each pins is held against one iiat surface of the plate around each corresponding hole -therein while being welded to it to locate the pins to be fixed to each plate in a manner such that the axes of the pins lie perpendicular to the flat surface of the corresponding plate, the 'added expense of the plates thus being made necessary as a jigging requirement for the pins.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the prior art post slots must be larger at their upper ends to receive a pinhead and `smaller at their lower ends to fit snugly around the shank 0f pins, the pinheads being larger than the lower ends of the slots to hold the beams on the posts. Due to the fact that the slots must be made larger at their upper ends, the strength of a post is thus reduced.

In accordance with the present invention, the above described and other disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by providing a post having an upper hole therein positioned above a lower hole therein, each of the -holes having approximately semicircular slots at the bottom thereof smaller than the corresponding hole, a substantially horizontal beam, a U-shaped rod fixed to the end, of the beam, the rod having a circular cross section and upper and lower legs extending through and resting in the upper and lower slots, respectively, and means on the end of the upper leg fitting behind said upper slot to prevent the upper leg from coming out of the upper slot. The use of the rod bent to shape thus makes the plate employed to jig the prior art pins unnecessary because the legs of the rod may be fabricated in one integral length of rod and accurately aligned in that manner.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, use is made of a post having a hole therein and a projection at the bot-tom of the hole extending upwardly toward but in spaced relation to the top of the hole, whereby hooks at adjacent ends of horizontal `beams may be easily and quickly located at the bottom of the hole on each side of the projection. In such a case, the projection is also spaced from each side of the hole. Ac-

3,228,533 Patented Jan. 1l, 1966 cording to this feature of the invention, the sides of the hole can be almost vertical and the same Aspace used twice to facilitate the rapid assembly and disassembly of a beam on a pair of posts. That is, by avoiding the use of the pair of horizontally spaced holes of the prior art and using a single hole about twice as wide with the projection, ample lclearance is provided for beam hooks to be inserted in the hole with substantial ease and speed. The oversize post holes of the prior art to accommodate the pin heads are thus, at least in part `avoided not only by the use of rod type hooks, but also by the double use of the spa-ce in the hole over the projection. 'In this manner, mutually adjacent ends of beams may be successively suspended easily and quickly from the same post. In addition to this advantage, increased post strength may be anticipated due to the fact that the clearance space is used twice.

The above mentioned and other advantages of lthe present invention will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the acccompanying drawings.

In the drawings which are to be regarded as merely illustra-tive:

FIG. l is a schematic diagram of a rack made in accordance wit-h the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged broken front elevational View of the rack shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view line 3 3 shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the Irack taken on the line 4 4 shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the rack taken on the line 5 5 in FIG. 2.

In the drawing in FIG- l, one embodiment of the rack of the present invention is illustrated generally at 9 including first, second and third front posts 10, 11 and 12 respectively, and first, second and third rear posts 13, 14 and 15 respectively. =Upper and lower braces 16 and 17 respectively and a diagonal 'brace 18 are welded to first posts 10 and 13. Similarly, braces 19, 20 and 21 are welded to second posts 11 and 14 and braces 22, 23 and 24 are welded to posts 12 and 15. Upper and lower horizontal beams 25 and 26 are suspended from first and second posts 10 and 11. Similarly, horizontal beams 27 from second and third posts 11 and 29 and 30 are suspended from first and second posts 13 and 14; and horizontal beams 31 gd 32 are suspended from second and third posts 14 and Posts 10, 11 and 12 are again shown in FIG. 2 with horizontal beams 26 and 28. It is to be noted that all the posts 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 are identical. Horizontal beams 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32 are also all identical. Thus, the following explanation of details of the construction of the posts and beams apply to all of them.

All of the posts are provided with holes indicated at 33 and 34 through the post 10. Holes the same shape as 34 are provided along the complete lengths of all the posts including the post 10. The holes of the shape of hole 34 are equally spaced along the lengths of all the posts including the post 10.

The hole 34 is generally rectangular although sides 35 and 36 generally diverge in an upward direction. The top of the hole at 37 is fiat. The bottom of the hole is provided with semicircular slots 38 and 39, the extremities of which are tangent to the sides 3S and 36 `of the hole, respectively, A projection 40 is provided at the bottom of the hole 34 between the slots 38 and 39 spaced from the upper side 37 of the hole and also spaced from the sides 35 and 36 thereof defining slots 38 and 39.

of the rack taken on the An additional horizontal beam 41 is shown suspended from slots 33 and 34' in post 12 to indicate that the length of rack 9 may be extended indefinitely. Beam 41 is identical to the other beams and like the other beams has a U-shaped rod 42 welded to its end at 43. Note will be taken that from FIGS. 3 and 4 that post 12 and beams 28 and 41 are also U-shaped in cross-section. The cross section of U-shaped rod 42 is circular to tit semicircular slots 38 and 39 in holes 33 and 34 of post 12. Rod 42 is provided with an upper leg indicated at 44 and a lower leg indicated at 45 in FIG. 4. Upper leg 44 rests in a slot in hole 33 corresponding to slot 39 in FIG. 2. Note will be taken that lower leg 45 is straight whereas upper leg 44 is bent downwardly at its end to provide a vertical extension 46 to extend downwardly behind hole 33' to hook thereover and thereby to retain beam 41 on post 42.

Although it is not necessary to use any other means to secure the horizontal beams in position, a spring clip 47 may be employed for that purpose as sh-own in FIGS. 2 and 5. Note will be taken that clip 47 is provided with angularly disposed breaks at 48 and 49 to accommodate the diverging character of the sides of a hole 33 in post 11. In addition to the angularity of breaks 48 and 49, it is to be noted that clip 47 is provided with a rear section 50 and side sections 51 and 52 which are disposed at an acute angle relative to rear section 50. The length of section 50 from the connection therewith to side sections 51 and 52 is slightly greater than the width of slot 33". Thus, clip 47 snaps into place in the position shown in hole 33". The distance between the upper ends of rods 53 and 54 welded t-o mutually adjacent ends of horizontal beams 26 and 28 and the lower` edge of clip 47 is thus less than the distance from the lowermost portion of hole 33 to the bottom of projections of rods 53 and 54 corresponding to projection 46 of rod 42 shown in FIG. 4. This means that if clips 47 are employed in all holes from which horizontal beams are suspended, a rack made in accordance with the present invention may be lifted, even fully loaded, by lifting the horizontal beams. For ease of illustration, clip 47 has been shown inserted from the front of slot 33"; however, clip 47 operates better to secure beams 26 and 28- to post 11 if clip 47 is pressed in place through hole 33 in post 11 from the rear. Along this same line, preferably the upper edges of sides 51 and 52 are shorter than their lower edges, whereby clip 47 is maintained securely in position in slot 33".

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the use of rods such as r-od 42 bent to the shape shown in FIG. 4 makes the horizontal beam plates employed to jig the rivet-shaped pins of the prior art unnecessary because the legs 44 and 45 of rod 42 may be fabricated in one integral length of stock or straight rod, and legs 44 and 45 may -be accurately aligned in that manner. The present invention thus provides a less expensive construction than the rivet and plate construction of the prior art.

Still further, note will be taken that all of the holes in the post may have almost vertical sides in the same manner that sides 35 and 36 that hole 34 are almost vertical. Note will be taken that extra space is provided above projection 40 in hole 34 which space is used twice at least where post 11 is considered and mutually adjacent ends of beams 26 and 2S are suspended therefrom in the samehole 33". That is, when beam 26 is assembled and disassembled, ample space is provided in hole 33" by the use of the shape thereof, notwithstanding no apparent substantial loss of strength in the post 11. The same is true of beam 28, the rapid assembly and disassembly of beams 26 and 28 on post 11 being thus facilitated regardless of which is suspended from post 11 first i-n order. Note will be taken that if beam 26 is suspended from posts 10 and 11 first, beam 26 will lie in a position out of the way of rod 54 if it is then inserted in hole 33" In accordance with the foregoing, Iby avoiding the use of the pair of horizontally spaced post holes of the prior art in using a single hole such as hole 34 about twice as wide with the projection 40, ample clearance is provided for beam hooks such as hook 46 of rod 42 to be inserted into hole 33 with substantial ease and speed. The oversize post holes of the prior art used to accommodate pin heads are thus at least in part avoided not only by the use of rod type hooks, but also by the double use of the space in the hole 33 over the projection thereof corresponding to projection 40.

In addition to the fact that, in accordance with the present invention, beams may be assembled and disassembled from posts with increased speed and ease, due to the particular conguration of the post hole of the invention for example as indicated at 34 in FIG. 2, posts of strengths greater than those of prior art posts employing enlarged holes may be obtained. This is, then, due to the fact that the oversized lcharacter of slots 38 and 39 at the upper end of hole 34 is not duplicated for each of the slots 38 and 39, the same space being used twice in the assembly of, for example, rods 53 and 54 in hole 33".

Although only one specific embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated, many changes and modifications of the device will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. The invention is therefore not to be limited to the embodiment disclosed herein, the true scope thereof being defined konly in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A rack comprising a plurality of vertical posts, each of said posts having a face, said post faces being in substantially the same plane, each of said post faces being provided with at least one pair of holes extending therethrough, each of said holes being defined by an upper wall, a pair of downwardly converging side walls which form acute angles with the horizontal and a bottom wall comprising a pair of arcs separated by a projection, said projection extending toward and being spaced from said upper wall, said side walls merging into said arcs, the holes of each of said pairs of holes being vertically spaced from each other by a predetermined distance; a substantially horizontal beam, said Vbeam being provided with a U-shaped pin at each end thereof, the legs of said U- shaped pins being spaced from each other by substantially the same distance as that between corresponding points in the holes of each of said pairs of holes, one of said legs of each pin engaging an arc in the bottom wall of an upper hole in one of said pairs of holes and the other leg of said pin engaging an arc inthe bottom wall of the lower hole of the same pair of holes, the outer end of the upper leg of each of said Ushaped pins being provided with a downwardly extending foot, whereby said pins hold said beam firmly when under load but are easily releasable when not under load.

2. A rack comprising a plurality of vertical posts, each of said posts having a face, said post faces being in substantially the same plane, each of said post faces being provided with at least one pair of holes extending therethrough, said holes being defined by an upper wall, a pair of downwardly converging side walls which form acute angles with the horizontal and a bottom wall comprising a first generally semi-circular arc and a second generally semi-circular arc separated by a projection, said projection extending toward and being spaced from said upper wall, each of said side walls connecting said upper wall and said lower wall and being substantially tangent to one of said generally semi-circular arcs, the holes of each of said pairs of holes being vertically spaced from each other by a predetermined distance; a plurality of substantially horizontal beams, said horizontal beams being provided with U-shaped pins at each end thereof, the legs of said U-shaped pins being spaced from each other by substantially the same distance as that between corresponding points in the holes of each of said pairs of holes, one of the legs of a rst pin attached to a first one of said horizontal beams engaging the rst generally semi-circular arc in the bottom wall of an upper hole in one of said pairs of holes and the other leg of said irst pin engaging the first generally semi-circular arc in the bottom wall of the lower hole of the same pair of holes, one of the legs of a second pin attached to a second one of said horizontal beams engaging the second circular arc in the bottom wall of said upper hole and the other leg of said second pin engaging the second generally semi-circular arc of said lower hole, the outer end of the upper leg of each of said U-shaped pins being provided with a downwardly extending foot, whereby said pins hold said beam firmly when under load but are easily releasable when not under load.

3. The rack of claim 2 wherein a clip is inserted and releasably held in a post 4in a hole above the upper leg of a U-shaped pin, said clip having a base and a pair of legs, said base being inclined downwardly away from said post, said clip not carrying lany substantial part of a load imposed on said beam and acting to prevent undesired disengagement of said beam by upward unhooking of said pin from said hole.

4. The rack of claim 1 wherein a clip is inserted and releas-ably held in a post in a hole above the upper leg of a U-shaped pin, said clip having a base and a pair of legs, said base being inclined downwardly away from said post, said clip not carrying any substantial part of a load imposed on said beam and acting to prevent undesired disengagement o-f said beam by upward unhooking of said pin from said hole.

5. The rack of claim 2 wherein said pins are sub-stantially circular in cross-section and wherein the diameter of the cross-section of said pins is substantially the same as the diameter of said arcs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,372,180 3/1921 McFadden 211-147 X 2,925,181 2/1960 Saul 211-148 X 2,937,767 y5/1960 Butler et al. 2ll-ll48 2,984,363 5/1961 Lang 2lll77 X 2,992,744 7/1961 Fohn 211-182 X 3,045,834 7/1962 Seiz 211-177 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,239,881 7/1960 France.

758,003 9/ 1956 Great Britain.

834,444 5/ 1960 Great Britain.

580,296 7/ 1958 Italy.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. FRANK L. ABBOTT, Examiner. 

1. A RACK COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF VERTICAL POSTS, EACH OF SAID POSTS HAVING A FACE, SAID POST FACES BEING IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME PLANE, EACH OF SAID POST FACES BEING PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF HOLES EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, EACH OF SAID HOLES BEING DEFINED BY AN UPPER WALL, A PAIR OF DOWNWARDLY CONVERGING SIDE WALLS WHICH FORM ACUTE ANGLES WITH THE HORIZONTAL AND A BOTTOM WALL COMPRISING A PAIR OF ARCS SEPARATED BY A PROJECTION, SAID PROJECTION EXTENDING TOWARD AND BEING SPACED FROM SAID UPPER WALL, SAID SIDE WALLS MERGING INTO SAID ARCS, THE HOLES OF EACH OF SAID PAIRS OF HOLES BEING VERTICALLY SPACED FROM EACH OTHER BY A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE; A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL BEAM, SAID BEAM BEING PROVIDED WITH A 